Mobility for Pat Thomson

Fundraising campaign by mobili
  • CA$5,286.00
    raised of CA$15,000.00 goal goal
35% Funded
18 Donors
Raised offline: CA$200.00
Total: CA$5,486.00

No more donations are being accepted at this time. Please contact the campaign owner if you would like to discuss further funding opportunities

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Pat Thomson is a mother of two and wife for 43 years.  She has been battling a genetic disorder since 1972.  Polycystic kidney disease is a genetic disorder that eventually leads to kidney failure.  Pat went into kidney failure in June of 1998.  Since that time Pat has had her ups and downs of medical treatments, unfortunately she is currently on a down.  Due to her long battle with this disease the side effects of the treatments have taken their toll.  On June 19 she underwent surgery to improve circulation in her legs.  On June 20, she had a partial right foot amputation and toes remove from her left foot.  There is a 50:50 chance that even with these surgeries she will need further amputations.  No matter the outcome of these surgeries, they will greatly change her mobility.  Due to these amputations major changes will need to be made to her home to aid with her mobility.  Any funds raised will help make these changes less stressful on her family.

 

Pat's Medical Ups and Downs

Polycystic kidney disease is a genetic disease that causes multiple cysts to grow on the kidneys.  The cysts are numerous and are fluid-filled, resulting in massive enlargement of the kidneys.  This disease can also damage the liver, pancreas, heart and brain.  Pat also has cysts on her liver.  As the cysts enlarge they compress the neighbouring kidney tissue, compromising the kidney function.  This happened to Pat causing her to go into kidney failure in June of 1998. 

Pat started on dialysis that year and was the 16th patient in Canada to use nocturnal dialysis.  Conventional dialysis consists of a patient traveling to a clinic three times per week for a four hour treatment.  With nocturnal dialysis patients are trained to provide the treatments in their home six or seven nights per week for six to eight hours per treatment.  This form of dialysis has been found to have many benefits over conventional dialysis. 

Pat was fortunate to receive a kidney transplant in December 2000.  Although her quality of life greatly improved with a kidney transplant she was still required to take immune suppressing medication to prevent organ rejection.  Pat has been taking these medications several times daily for the last twelve years.  One of the drugs that she has been taking is prednisone.  Unfortnuately longterm use of this medication although necessary to keep her alive also has severe side effects.  Some of the effects of longterm prednisone use are - diabetes, greater suceptibility to infections, steroid-induced osteroporosis (weak bones), painful hips and shoulders, severe joint pain, cataracts, facial swelling, weight gain, fatigue and weakness.  For Pat these side effects have led to mutlitple infections, some of which that have been severe enough requiring hospitlization, a severe case of shingles infection, cataract replacement surgery in 2005,  she developed diabetes in 2009, she has broken her left arm, bones in her left foot and left tibia and had a right hip replacement in December 2010. 

As ploycystic kidney disease is a genetic disorder both her childeren were born with the disease.  Her eldest daughter Cynthia Thomson died from pancreatic cancer in 2005.  This is a rare complication of the genetic disease.

Due to the on stresses on her mind and body Pat took early retirement in the summer of 2008 from a job she loved at Realspace Property Management.

Although the donor kidney worked very well for many years it started to fail in 2012 and she was again in kidney failure by December 2012.  Pat spend over 6 months in hospital while doctors tried to safe her donor kidney.  She became very weak and frail losing 54 lbs.  She started back on nocturnal dialsyis at home in January 2013. 

Muscle wasting and fatigue left her with limited mobility.  She started using a wheelchair but was still able to take a few steps.  To make her mobility issues even worse she has develop peripheral vascular disease a complication of the diabetes.  This means that she has limited blood supply to her feet.  Blood supply provides nutirition and oxygen to the tissue, when this is missing that tissue dies.  This brings us back to present and her current situation. 

 

Where the $$ will go...

Pat’s biggest need is for a handicap accessible bathroom.  It has been estimated that renovations of her current bathroom would cost $9000.  A new wheelchair and other accessibility aids such as a hydraulic lift and commode would cost $7500.  In the worst case scenario full amputation of both her left and right feet would require a specialized vehicle to help transport her to her ongoing medical appointments, at an estimated cost of $45,000.  Hopefully the first few surgeries will be successful and she won’t need full amputations but plans need to be put in motion in case the worst happens.

 

Any support would be greatly appreciated.  Please forward on to anyone you think can help.

Thanks for all the support in advance!

 

Organizer

Donors

  • The Jamiesons
  • Donated on Sep 07, 2014
Amount Hidden
  • Guest
  • Donated on Aug 29, 2014
CA$1.00
  • Kumpitsch Family
  • Donated on Aug 26, 2014
Amount Hidden
Sep 22

A big thank you!

Update posted by mobili at 05:50 pm

A final update as we reach the end of our fundraising campaign. Mom is doing well, although still not walking her new wheels and bathroom are a great help in her day to day life. The guest bathroom was remodelled to remove the tub and create a “wheel-in” shower by. . . . .

See update
7
Jul 15

Finally Home!

Update posted by mobili at 10:03 pm

Pat is finally home after a month in hospital! After being immobile since November 2013 she still has a long road to a full recovery.  The amputations have removed a lot of the pain and discomfort and she is moving better than she has in several months. The renovations have

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2
Jul 01

Happy Canada Day

Update posted by mobili at 07:14 pm

Happy Canada Day! Mom's got her Canada Day spirit on but unfortunately is still in hospital and really wants to go home.  The feet are healing well but she hasn't had much of a chance to test them out as she has been on strict bed rest.  She has developed. . . . .

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5
Jun 25

Out of Bed

Update posted by mobili at 04:08 pm

Pat is out of bed for the first time in a week....the feet are healing well.  Unfortunately Pat does not like to take the easy root to recovery and has likely been infected with the GI bug C. difficle.  Cross your fingers for a short infection and that she continues

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0
Jun 23

Hello From Pat

Update posted by mobili at 01:38 pm

Hello from the hospital... Thank you for your generous donations they are very much appreciated.  This has been a difficult situation having to ask for donations in the preperation of renovations to our house. I am feeling a little groggy but everyday is a new day. You don't know how

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0
Jun 21

Surgery

Update posted by mobili at 12:23 pm

A little sleepy but doing better! Pat had surgery to remove 6 toes and a lot of infection.  Now it is a wait and see if the wounds heal...crossing our fingers!  Thanks for all the love and support we have recieved.

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2
Jun 20

June 20 - Positive Results

Update posted by mobili at 10:47 am

Pat has surgery yesterday to help open up some vessels in her legs.  So far the results are looking positive.  After surergy they have been able to find a pulse in both her left and right feet where previously there wasn't one!  Another surgery today to remove the dead tissue/toes

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0

Donors & Comments

18 donors
  • The Jamiesons
  • Donated on Sep 07, 2014
Amount Hidden
  • Guest
  • Donated on Aug 29, 2014
CA$1.00
  • Kumpitsch Family
  • Donated on Aug 26, 2014
Amount Hidden
  • Sara Fovargue
  • Donated on Jul 16, 2014
CA$50.00
  • Realspace
  • Donated on Jul 09, 2014
Amount Hidden
  • DENISE PINHEIRO FRANCISCO CASTELO BRANCO
  • Donated on Jul 03, 2014
CA$250.00
  • Guest
  • Donated on Jul 03, 2014
  • It is a privilege to help out.

Amount Hidden
  • I. Carstens
  • Donated on Jul 01, 2014
  • Hi Pat, Wishing you all the best, much love and strength, Ingrid

CA$100.00
  • Cathy Wickiam
  • Donated on Jul 01, 2014
CA$25.00
  • Garry and Laura
  • Donated on Jun 23, 2014
  • We are so sorry this is happening to you. You always have such a brave front. We both send much love and healing energies your way. Be well.

CA$50.00
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Followers

199 followers
Keyshira Johnson
Vedavathi Kandkur Pallavi
Marcia Rocha
John Passmore
jttijoep
CA$5,286.00
raised of CA$15,000.00 goal
35% Funded
18 Donors
Raised offline: CA$200.00
Total: CA$5,486.00

No more donations are being accepted at this time. Please contact the campaign owner if you would like to discuss further funding opportunities